Sac Osage Electric Cooperative
P.O. Box 111, 4815 E HWY 54
El Dorado Springs, MO 64744
Telephone: 800-876-2701
October 2015
CELEBRATE CO-OP
MONTH WITH US
Sac Osage is inviting everyone to celebrate cooperatives in Missouri
— and across America — during National Cooperative Month.
Every October, cooperatives are recognized for the qualities that
make our business model unique. Seven cooperative principles set us
apart from other businesses: voluntary and open membership; democratic member control; member’s economic participation; autonomy
and independence; education, training and information; cooperation
among cooperatives; and concern for community.
This Co-op Month, we’re focusing on “The Electric Co-op Connection: Discover the meaning of membership.” Co-ops exist to serve
their members, but they also play a major role in their local communities.
“Cooperative membership is unique,” says Jim Davis, General Manager. “Electric cooperatives are committed to providing members with
safe, reliable and affordable electricity, but there’s more to it than that.
We’re local, and that means we care about our community. Sac Osage
Electric helps members, supports local schools and enhances communities through programs like Operation RoundUp®, Youth Tour,
CYCLE, and Safety Demonstrations.”
Electric co-ops provide power for many Show-Me State residents,
with 40 electric co-ops serving more than 600,000 members. Other coop businesses thrive in our state, too, with Missouri’s co-op economy
employing more than 60,000 residents.
Sac Osage Electric is one of more than 900 electric cooperatives,
public utility districts and public power districts serving 42 million
people in 47 states.
“In the 1930s, rural America needed electricity just as much as
anyone else,” Jim Davis, General Manager said. “It was a major challenge that big utilities weren’t interested in tackling. So, the men and
women of rural America banded together and made it happen. And
that’s why we celebrate in October. We celebrate the power of working
together for the common good and bettering the quality of life for our
friends and neighbors.”
You can get a hold of us toll-free at
1-800-876-2701
Visit us on the Web - www.sacosage.com
Sac Osage Electric Cooperative
October 2015
THE OLD FARMER’S
Bride of the sun
O
annual is useful in borders to
repel pests. Marigolds were
once a source for toothache
remedies. Today their
cousin, calendula, is used
in skin creams. A dream
of marigolds indicates
happiness in marriage,
prosperity and success.
ctober’s flower, the daisylike
marigold, has been
called “Mary’s gold”
and “bride of the Sun.” Its
yellow, rust and gold colors
echo fall’s natural hues.
Although it can tolerate cool
temperatures, it won’t stand
for freezing. The malodorous
Linking up
O
ct. 26 marks the anniversary of the opening of the Erie
Canal in 1825. The 363-mile-long canal created an
important water route from Lake Erie to the Atlantic
Ocean, but convincing Congress to authorize funding for the
project was a long and difficult process. The canal’s champion,
DeWitt Clinton of New York, originally approached Congress in
1810. His plan was rejected, but in 1815, this time as mayor of
New York City, he tried again, and funding was finally approved
in 1816. Construction began on July 4, 1817.
Where the proof is
I
n England, October was the start of pudding season,
as the beef and suet Christmas puddings were begun.
One London establishment, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
Inn, gave new dimensions and an old interpretation to
this culinary stew, making a 50- to 80-pound pudding
filled with steak, gravy, wild larks, mushrooms and
spices. It was cooked for 16 hours. If it sounds more like
a pastry gone wild, you only can blame the inclusion
of ye olde ale in the kitchen and other alcohol used for
soaking the pudding.
For recipes, gardening tips and weather forecasts, visit:
www.almanac.com
Recipe for
Irish Potato Biscuits
6 to 8 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup milk or cream
1 tablespoon melted butter
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup flour (approximately)
P
reheat the oven to 400 degrees. Boil and mash the potatoes until smooth. Add the milk,
butter and salt. Add just enough flour to make a soft dough, then lay it on a floured board
and roll out quickly and lightly to one-half-inch thick. Cut into rounds and place on a
lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes or until just crisp on the outside. Butter and
eat before they fall. Makes 12 to 18 biscuits.
www.almanac.com
WEATHER
PROVERBS
If the chickens are
snug in their coop
during a rainstorm,
the rain will soon be
over.
If October brings
heavy frosts and
winds, then will January and February be
mild.
When squirrels bury
nuts early, it will be a
hard winter.
If the hare wears a
thick coat in October,
lay in a good store of
fuel.
When snow falls in
the mud, it remains
all winter.
Corn is as comfortable
under the snow as an
old man is under his
fur cloak.
RM
| HOME
Sac Osage Electric Cooperative
C O M F O RT
Finding the right balance
Keeping home temperatures at a comfortable level
Dear Jim: We have a new heat pump, but we
have a problem keeping all of the rooms in our
home comfortable. Someone is always too hot
or too cool. What are some simple methods
to even out the temperatures throughout the
house? — Jason F.
Dear Jason: The problem you are experiencing
is common, particularly in a two-story home —
even for the newest heat pump systems. Unless
you install an expensive zone-control system with
multiple thermostats, your heat pump can only
by Jim Dulley
respond to the temperature of the room where the
wall thermostat is located.
Numerous factors determine how much heating or cooling is used,
and therefore the temperature is affected. These factors can include
the number and orientation of the windows, whether the room is
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the room and the length
of the duct leading to it.
There also may be difIHUHQFHVLQWKHHQHUJ\HIÀciency of various rooms,
which cause the temperature difference. Leaky windows are a particular problem. When using an air-conditioning system, place an
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to help distribute cool air
throughout the room.
Check the depth of your
home’s attic insulation, especially if it is the blown-in type.
The insulation can shift during
storms, and eventually, some
rooms can have 2 feet of insulation while others only have 2
inches. This can have a major
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effect on the room temperature.
urtesy of
photos co
Even out the insulation as much
as possible.
The standard builder-installed sheet metal ductwork often has
many leaky spots, so some of the heated or cooled air leaving the heat
pump never makes it to the rooms in your home. The joints between
the duct segments are the most common areas that leak. Use a highquality duct tape, such as black Gorilla Tape, to wrap all of the joints.
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Each room should have a return air register, particularly bedrooms
where the doors may be closed at night. Return ducts usually run
down between the wall studs inside interior walls, so adding them in
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There are many innovative ways to install an additional return duct.
For example, in my parent’s older two-story home, the contractor was
able to run a return duct down through a never-used laundry chute
to the basement.
Check the ducts near the heat pump. If you see short handles on
each one, they are for control dampers inside the ducts. When the
handle is parallel to the duct, the damper is fully open. Partially close
the dampers in the duct leading to the rooms which are getting too
much heating or cooling to force more to the problem rooms.
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much. Second, because the ducts inside the walls are probably leaky
and you have no access to seal them, conditioned air is lost inside the
exterior walls.
If these methods do not provide adequate temperature balancing, consider
installing duct booster fans. These
small fans mount in the ducts to the
problem rooms and force more conditioned air to them.
7KHVHIDQVDUHVL]HGWRÀWVWDQdard round and rectangular residential ducts and can be controlled in different ways. The
simplest fans sense when the
main blower turns on, and
they automatically run at the
same time. Others have builtin thermostats to determine
when they run. It is best to
hire an experienced contractor to handle the installation for you. The fan can be
wired into your blower switch
to turn on with the heat pump.
A simple do-it-yourself option is to install a register booster fan. This small rectangular fan mounts over the register
cover in the room and is plugged into a standard electrical wall outlet.
The small fan uses only about 30 watts of electricity, and some models
are adjustable to turn on only when more cooling or heating is needed
in that particular room.
Setting the thermostat to continuous fan may also help, but note,
it will increase your electric bill. The fan setting is most helpful if your
new heat pump has a variable-speed blower, which allows the blower
to continuously run on a low speed. Variable-speed blower motors are
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Here are a few companies that offer booster fans:
Suncourt Manufacturing,
800-999-3267, www.suncourt.com
Aero-Flo Industries,
219-393-3555,
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800-428-4328,
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Sac Osage Electric Cooperative
Fall is the time for efficiency
Fall is one of the best times of year to do landscaping. And if it has an
energy-efficient component, even better.
To get started, look for these energy-efficient essentials to identify possible
fixes:
• Air conditioner shaded — If your air conditioner is on the south, west or
east and not shaded, put up a screen or plant some shrubs that will shield it
from the hot summer sun.
• Deciduous trees on the south, southwest and west — Mature trees in
these locations will shade your house and allow the winter sun to reach
your windows. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an energysaving landscape design could cut heating bills by about one-third during
cold weather and reduce air conditioning costs by 15 to 50 percent in warm
weather.
• No trees? Plant some. Depending on the type of tree you plant, it can
begin shading your roof in as little as five years.
• Driveway and patio shaded — Hot summer sun beaming down on asphalt, concrete, stone or tiled surfaces that are near to the house can pump up
the heat radiating into your house. Develop a plan for shading these surfaces
during the hottest part of the summer day. Tall shrubs or evergreens can be
planted now for benefits later.
• Allow solar gain — Trim back overgrown trees and shrubs that may
block winter sunlight and solar gain from south-, east- or west-facing windows.
• Trees to break winter winds — If you live in town, you may get a windbreak from the houses surrounding yours. But in more open areas, a tree and shrub
windbreak can be effective in breaking the wind and slowing snow drifting. According to the Iowa Energy Center, a windbreak can reduce wind speed for as far
as 30 times the height of the windbreak. For maximum effect, plant your windbreak a distance from your home that’s two to five times the mature height of the
trees you’re using.
Efficiency projects for the fall
Early fall is a good time to take stock of what energy-efficiency needs you have and get ready
for winter. Here’s where to start:
• Fix leaks — If you don’t first fix air leaks, then money spent on insulating over the leaks
will be wasted. Leaks in ceilings, walls, foundations, etc. are typically the greatest source of
heating and cooling losses, according to the Iowa Energy Center. The U.S. Department of
Energy says up to 30 percent of conditioned air can be wasted through leaks. So caulk and
seal leaks around windows, doors and ducts and plumbing vents that penetrate walls, ceilings
and floors. Add gaskets behind electrical outlets on exterior walls. In the attic, seal open wall
tops, chimneys, furnace flues and duct, plumbing and electrical runs with spray foam or rigid
foam board.
• Insulation — If your house was built before 1980, it probably needs insulation. The
North American Insulation Manufacturers Association has developed recommended levels
of insulation for attics, ceilings, walls and floors, based on DOE and the International Energy
Conservation Code data. You can find a chart of these levels online at www.1.usa.gov/
NPP2uz. Southern Iowa and northern Missouri are in Zone 5, mid-and southern Missouri are
in Zone 4 and eastern Oklahoma is in Zone 3.
• Repair leaky ducts — Use mastic sealant or metal tape, not duct tape, to stop conditioned
air from leaking into unconditioned spaces. Also make sure connections at vents and registers
are well-sealed where they meet floors, walls and ceilings. These improvements may prevent
some of the 20 percent of conditioned air that is typically lost from ducts due to leaks.
• Check your furnace — Do a maintenance checkup of your heating system; if your furnace is decades old, it’s probably time to replace it with a system that may be 50 to 60 percent
more efficient.
• Install a programmable thermostat — When you are asleep or away, turn the thermostat
back 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours and save about 10 percent a year on heating and cooling
costs. Typically, you’ll get your money back in a year.
• Insulate water heater and pipes — Heating water in an average home accounts for 16
percent of total energy costs, according to DOE. Insulating a conventional water heater tank to
at least R-24 can reduce standby heat losses by up to 45 percent. Be sure to check the warranty information on your water heater as some manufacturers void the warranty if a homeowner installs a tank wrap. Wrapping pipes can reduce heat loss and raise water temperatures
2 to 4 degrees more than uninsulated pipes. This allows you to lower the setting on the heater
to at least 120 degrees. For every 10-degree drop in water temperature, you can save between
3 and 5 percent in energy costs.
• Install storm doors and windows — According to DOE, installing storm doors and windows over single-pane glass can save up to 50 percent in energy use. If you can’t afford new
doors and windows, plastic sheeting will do the trick for only a few dollars.
• Cover drafty windows — Use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter
months. After winterizing your windows, install tight-fitting, insulating drapes or shades on windows that still feel drafty.